Technical Abstract:
The Arthropod Borne Animal Diseases Research Unit(ABADRU) has been developing rapid, high sensitive biosenor technology based on gold nanoparticles and Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS). The “proof-of-concept” for the nucleic acid and immunological based assays was reviewed. A more recent enhancement in this technology was also discusses. The ABADRU has also adapted the published single primer ligation-whole genome amplification protocol that allows the whole bluetongue virus genome to be amplified without prior sequence knowledge and submitted to high-throughput DNA sequencing. Preliminary data was discussed as well as the potential impact on the ability to rapidly perform molecular evolution analyses.